ODEP Year by Year

Fall 2001 marked a major milestone in the national effort to advance disability employment  the establishment by Congress of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), a sub-cabinet level agency within the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). This landmark occasion created, for the first time ever, a permanent focus on disability within the context of DOL's overall work.

Since this time, ODEP, in collaboration with Federal, state and local government stakeholders, has worked steadfastly to address the persistent barriers to employment for people with disabilities from a public policy perspective. Consequently, the conversation about disability employment has begun to evolve  from one focused on whether people with disabilities can work to one focused on the strategies effective in making work happen.

This important paradigm shift is evident in many milestones achieved in the years since ODEP's inception. Select a year from the timeline above to learn more.